As we first reported last year, in addition to 14,000 square feet of new Production, Distribution and Repair (PDR) space which would be internally connected to the existing building at 298 Alabama for Dandelion’s use, the proposed building includes 13,600 square feet of office space (the tenant for which has yet to be identified) and a 14,000 square foot gym to be operated by Purplepatch Fitness as a health, performance, and education center for triathletes, and for whom the pool would be maintained.

In a pre-application meeting with neighbors, the following concern was raised:

“How can it be guaranteed that the gym doesn’t go out of business soon after construction and at that point the pool doesn’t become a party venue for a tech firm?”

The architect’s response:

“Based on my understanding of the financing of the project, that is not an issue; the financial viability of the gym is guaranteed into the future. Separately, the pool is constructed as a competitive/training pool and does not lend itself to entertaining; there is no “club room” or kitchen on the pool level, and short of the deck area around the pool there is very little amenity-wise which would make this into an entertainment area.”

Please say more. My understanding is that Dandelion was founded by the techie who founded and cashed out of Plaxo (remember them vaguely?) for $150 million. If he wants to spend his time making good chocolate now, there are worse things you can do with all the funny money. If there is something more nefarious going on, please tell.

Planning Commission Agenda May 9, 2019:
Permission to convert 3000 gsf of unused locker space to a gourmet kitchen and add a 10′ cantilevered deck around pool; petitioner is Nestle, Inc. which acquired Dandelion Chocolates LLC in 2018 and moved production to Houston, TX …

Good lord, what kind of crank sees their dystopia in the form of a chocolate factory adjacent gym being converted into a corporate event venue? Put pencil to paper and start writing that screenplay instead of throwing foam rubber wrenches into the gears.

Aside from the anti-tech BS, that crank clearly doesn’t know much about the economics of triathlons. It boggles my mind how expensive the hobby is. I doubt anyone providing services in the space is going to go out of business soon.

Dandelion Chocolate is a front for an elite Silicon Valley VC firm, who’s satellite office exists illegally on the top floor of the PDR space. The building exterior is plastered with “Dandelion Chocolate” for that very reason, while delicately hiding any pertinent signage.

Dandelion Chocolates is a legitimate chocolate company whose founders have connections with the heads of this VC firm. They struck a deal, where Dandelion and VC would benefit by way of a new massive factory for Dandelion (which is still under construction) and a new secret satellite office for VC (which has been completed for nearly one year). The owner of this building is a shell company under the guise of Dandelion, but is in fact NOT the chocolate company. It’s meant to throw off any second guesses and is a legal tactic used by the wealthy to hide money/assets.

Goes to show how money and politics favor the tech elite in progressive San Francisco.

Many owners of manufacturing companies who have capital to own the facilities that they operate in will set up a separate entity for said facility; there are many reasons for this – financial, generational transition, minority ownership or sale of production company etc. and there is nothing shady about it.

As I understand it, the manufacturing company is allowed office space on site, so that is fine and dandy too. If they additionally use their office space to run other business they may be in a grey area.

If the new building is permitted with 13,600 sq ft of office space, they can rent it to anybody… right? So you have an issue with the office component of the new building, or the gym?

Assuming this is true, I still don’t see why we should care. I get that it would technically be illegal under the planning code. But where’s the actual harm in some VC offices above a legit chocolate factory?

And many if not most new businesses fail, so it wouldn’t surprise me either if the gym/triathlon training facility failed. But again where’s the harm?

But once again, zoned for Production, Distribution and Repair (PDR), an office space unrelated to Dandelion’s operations would constitute an unpermitted/illegal use of the existing building at 298 Alabama.

So there MIGHT be an illegal use of existing building, but shouldn’t be a problem for the new construction discussed in this article, and they may actually take advantage of the new office space and legalize everything.

Ugh. This is why I hate this city. Why does it matter if they have parties in the pool? I doubt this person even lives within earshot of the building. A city filled with conservatives obsessed with what other people are doing.

I agree. There will always be noise and traffic, but it’s never quantified as in… traffic won’t be worse than North Beach or parking will be no worse than Marina. Both of those places are reasonably desirable and neither would be built if we had comments like we have today.

SF Planning/SFGov have repeatedly and frankly idiotically dropped the ball on this entire part of the city for two decades.

One block from here is the new park no one asked for (more of a concrete play yard bunker), head south and its droves of illegal tech offices with people parking on the sidewalks. Campers line the streets 24/7 with no city intervention on behalf of the neighborhood’s greater well being.

Its a bizarre mash-up of uses and zoning with no leadership. Instead its a free for all that allows for some good things (Heath) and a lot of dumb things (spoiled rich brat party spaces, random nightlife venues jammed in between residential, pet hotels that don’t pick up after their guests). its messed up. All of it.